Loom with stationary weft supply



Nov. 28, 1950 c. CLUTSOM 2,532,037

LOOM WITH STATIONARY WEFT SUPPLY Filed April '7, 1949 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 In venior I M Aye/117 Nov. 28, 1950 c. CLUTSOM 2,532,087

LOOM WITH STATIONARY WEFT SUPPLY Filed April 7, 1949 s Sheets-Sheet 2 2 T k KP L; s uh; 0:5 15%! Inventor yBAar/e r 51173 950 c. CLUTS'OM 2,532,087

LObM WITH STATIONARY WEFT SUPPLY Filed April 7. 1949 a Sheets-Sheet 3 I nventor war/ [ll/mm Nov. 28, 1950 c. CLUTSOM 2,532,087

LOOM WITH STATIONARY WEFT SUPPLY Filed April 7, 1949 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 I nvenlor Mar/er 8147: 01

Nov. 28, 1950 c. CLUTSOM 5 3 LOOM WITH STATIONARY WEFT SUPPLY Filed April 7, 1949 a Sheets-Sheet 5 Inventor Nov. 28, 1950 c, c so 2,532,087

LOOM WITH STATIONARY WEFT SUPPLY Filed April 7, 1949 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 w T/ 4 w I 1 I l L /3 Inventor Age/4f Nov. 28, 1950 c. CLUTSOM 4 2,532,087

LOOM WITH STATIONARY WEFT SUPPLY Filed April 7, 1949 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Patented Nov. 28, 1950 ill ll 'l ED STATE-S PATENT FF 1 CE LOOM WITH STATIONARY WEFT SUPPLY Charles Clutsom, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, England Application April 7, 1949, Serial No. 86,100 In Great Britain April 20,1948

6 Claims.

This invention relates to shuttleless weaving looms, i. e. looms with weft supplies which are stationary as regards insertion of the weft, and has reference more especially to small-ware shuttleless looms for weaving elastic webs and other narrow pieces, such as ribbons and braids in continuous lengths, as well as to shuttleless looms such as are employed for weaving elastic and other fabrics in the piece for manufacture subsequently into garments.

As well known to those skilled in the art, by the use of a shuttleless loom, shuttle filling and the disadvantages attendant thereon-are eliminated so that increased output is obtained while considerable saving of thread results and costs of production are reduced.

The invention is concerned with shuttleless looms wherein the weaving mechanism includes duplicate weft laying members consisting of thread guides adapted to operate alternately from opposite sides of a series of warps to carry separate weft threads to and fro through sheds of the warps, and associatedduplicate thread engaging elements adapted to operate conjointly with the weft laying members to form selvedges at respectively opposite edges of a piece of woven fabric. Such a loom will hereinafter for convenience be referred to as a shuttleless loom of the class concerned.

In a weaving mechanism of a known character applicable to a shuttleless loom of the class concerned, duplicate thread engaging elements of hooked form are adapted to operate in conjunction with the weft laying members .to ensure laying of the weft threads to and fro through the sheds, the said elements being so arranged and operated as to engage the threads presented to them in appropriate timed relation to the operation of the weft laying members to form the selvedges. In a loom furnished with such mechanism (hereinafter referred to as weaving mech anism of the character described) the-weft laying members are adapted respectively to draw the weft threads from independent supplies in the form of bobbins, spools, cones, cops or like'packages containing substantial supplies of thread, and each weft laying member functionsin conjunction with the thread engaging element :at

the opposite side of the warps. Thus, oneweft inoperative position, whereupon the last mentioned weft laying member makes a forward stroke through a shed from the opposite side of the warps to present its thread to the other thread engaging element and then a reverse stroke, and so on. Accordingly, with the loom in operation, each thread engaging element in turn catches hold of the appropriate thread when the first portion of'a-pick has been laid by the relevant weft laying member, holds the thread while the said weft laying member moves in the reverse direction to lay the second portion of the pick, then casts off the thread preparatory to the next stroke of the weft laying member to lay the f rst portionoi a subsequent pick, and so on, From the foregoing description it will be realised that the term pick as herein used means a complete .loop of weft inserted as'the result of a, forward and a reverse stroke of a weft laying member.

One object of the present invention is to pro- :vide, in orifor a shuttleless loom of the class concerned, weaving mechanism of improved construction designed positively to prevent each of the weft threads from being caught by and en tangled with the wrong thread engaging element.

Another object of the inventionis to provide, in or for such a shuttleless loom, weaving mechanism of the character described wherein the weft layingmembers, the associated thread engaging elements .and the-cam means for operating "the same are so constructed, arranged and operable as tofacilitate the weaving of fabric with satisfactorily knitted selvedges at both edges,

thereby. enabling output to be increased.

Ihe weaving mechanism constituting this in vention is so constructed as to be adapted to constrain each of the weftthreads in such a manner --that,when it is drawn from the supply and laid in a shed of warps on each forward stroke of the appropriate weft laying member, it is disposed so as to avoid the-thread engaging .elementat that side of the shed from which the said weft laying member operates.

,A feature of the invention consists of weaving mechanism of the character described which is so. constructed to be adapted to constrain each oflthe weft threads, when it is drawn from the supply and laid in a-shed ofwarps on each forward stroke ofthe appropriate weft laying member, to move fromaposition at oneside of the shed in which it avoidsthe threads engaging element at thatsideto a position inwhich it is engaged by ,the thread engaging element at the opposlteside of the shed.

{Ihe thread engaging elements may qtake any.

form suitable for the intended purpose, but they preferably consist of knitting needles. The expression knitting needle employed herein means a knitting needle of conventional form customarily used in knitting machines. Preferably, latch needles are provided. Advantageously, each needle is inserted in a stem-like carrier bar, and in this respect the expression knitting needle is intended to refer to both the needle and the carrier bar, where the context so admits. Where the Weft laying members co-operate with knitting needles the successive picks of weft inserted from each side of the fabric are interknitted to form a knitted selvedge at that side as weaving proceeds.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood and readily carried into practical effect, a specific constructional example of the improved weaving mechanism applicable to a small-ware shuttleless loom will now be described With reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein,

Figiue l is a general perspective view of the said mechanism,

Figure 2 is a side view of the same as seen in the direction of the arrow A in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a plan view of the mechanism,

Figure 4 is a part-sectional front elevation as seen in the direction of the arrow B in Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a detail plan View of part of a shuttleless loom incorporating a plurality of sets of the duplicate weft laying members and associated duplicate knitting needles,

Figure 6 is a View, as seen from the appropriate end of the loom, illustrating the connections for operating the beat-up means from the main shaft,

Figure '7 is a further view of these connections as seen in the direction of the arrow C in Figure 6, i. e. from the front of the loom,

Figure 8 is a diagram depicting the paths in which the operative extremities or tips of the weft laying members travel, and

Figures 9-16 are diagrammatic views illustrating successive stages in the conjoint operation of the weft laying members and the knitting needles.

Like parts are designated by similar reference characters throughout the drawings.

The illustrated weaving mechanism includes two main metal bars I which are spaced apart parallel to each other and bolted upon the top of a longitudinal member 2 of the main frame of the loom at the front of the latter. The frame member 2 thus serves to connect the bars I together. The said bars may be adjustable laterally and the space 5 between them is in any event determined by the width of the fabric F (web or the like) to be woven. Each main bar I is provided with an upstanding axle 3 which, as shown more clearly in Figure 4, is slightly outwardly inclined to the vertical V. Mounted for oscillatory movement upon each axle 3 is a ,bossed arm 4 in which is adjustably secured a weft laying member 5 in the form of a thread guide having an inwardly curved operative portion 5a. the extremity or tip 5b of which is of pointed form and has therein a small hole 6 (Figure 3) for passage therethrough of a weft thread T or T as the case may be. Ball bearing races such as E are interposed between flanges 8 on the axles 3 and the backs of recesses formed in the undersides of the axially drilled bosses do, of the oscillatory arms 4. The duplicate weft laying members 5 are arranged to operate alternately from opposite sides of a series of warps W to carry the sepa rate weft threads T and T to and fro through sheds of the said warps. To the opposed inner sides of the main bars I are attached two subsidiary bars 9 serving to carry duplicate reciprocatory knitting needles [6 of the latch type adapted to operate in conjunction with the weft laying members 5. Each of the subsidiary bars 9 serves additionally to carry a cam I I (see Figure 2) for action on the corresponding needle HJ suchwise as to deflect the latter upwardly on each forward stroke thereof, a relatively thin vertically disposed side plate l2 the leading portion of which is adapted to present a knocking-over edge l3 in conjunction with which the needle I!) functions to facilitate the formation of a knitted selvedge at the appropriate edge of the fabric F, and, mounted on an upstanding lug M on the plate i2, an adjustable support i5 for a latch opener in the form of a brush 16. As shown in Figure 8 each knitting needle 10 is inclined so that its hook 10a. lies in a plane obliquely disposed with respect to the vertical plane of the corresponding side plate l2. The stems of the knitting needles I!) proper are secured in stem-like carrier bars I! mounted to slide back and forth upon the subsidiary bars 9-between the side plates 12 and spaced guide pieces l8 secured by screws to the outer faces of the said bars a. The cam II is fixed upon the bar 9 and is designed to ensure that when the knitting needle Ill is advanced to engage weft thread presented to it by the appropriate weft laying, member 5 such engagement will be secured as the result of contact between the needle carrier bar I! and the said cam. In this connection the underside of the bar H is appropriately shaped to co-operate with the cam H in such a way that on each forward stroke of the bar i! the latter is lifted at its forward end to effect, as hereinbefore mentioned, upward deflection of the needle. As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, fixed blade springs is are provided for action upon the tops of the needle carrier bars I! to depress the same and hence return the knitting needles It] to their normal levels upon retraction thereof. The needle carrier bars H are furnished with outwardly directed pins 20 whereby they can be reciprocated. Extending between the leading ends of the two side plates I2 is a bridge-piece 2| (see Figure 3) adapted to support and guide the fabric, and constrain it to maintain a definite path, in the region of the fell. At the opposite end of the mechanism, that is to say at the front of the loom, the two main bars I support between them a roller 22 over which the fabric F passes as woven.

The duplicate Weft laying members 5 and the associated duplicate knitting needles H! are operated independently, but in suitable timed relation, from four separate cams, mounted on a common rotary cam shaft 23. Thus, there are two separate cams 24 for operating the weft laying members 5, and two further separate cams 25 for operating the knitting needles I ii. The cam shaft 23 extends horizontally beneath and parallel to the plane in which the fabric F is woven. Of the four separate earns the two needle-operating cams 25 are, as shown in Figure 4, arranged together side by side between the two ca-ms 2c serving to operate the weft laying members 5. The cam shaft 23 is driven, through the medium of suitable gearing, from and at half the speed of the main shaft of the loom. The said main shaft is indicated at 26 in each of Figures 6 and 7. I

estate? 8 A Each 6f the twoearss flis arranged in periphrarcmtaamtna roller 2-! (see Figure 2) carried {by ohe arm 28a of a two-armed lever '28 the ether arm 28b of which is connected, by means {of a 29, with a-d'epe'nding pin 36 provided :on the oscillatory arm 3 of the corresponding weft laying member 5. The cams 24 are disposedfwith their operative portions mam-errant opposite so that as the said cams rotate, -the weft laying members 5 arejosc'illated alternately to carry the weft threads T andT to and fro through sheds of the warps. The levers 28 are fulcrumed, for movement independently, 'upon a common ho'r izontal shaft 3! located in front of and somewhat above the cam shaft 23. The upwardly directed arms 28b of the levers 28 have secured-thereto blocks '32 in which the appropriate ends of the links -29 are fitted. The links 29 a re l'hgitiidifiailly adjustable. The osciilatoryarms 4 are controlled by tension springs 33 each of which is anchored at one end to the relevant depending pin 38 and at its opposite end to a fixed part '35 of the loom.

Each'of the two -needl'e-operating cams 25 is similarly arranged-in peripheral contact with a roller 27 (see Figure 1) carried by a downward- I 1y directed arm "35 of a two-armed lever 35 the upwardly directed arm 35?) of which is directly connected, by means of 'a link at, to the outwardly extending pin "20 provided on the carrier bar connected to the arm 3500f the corresponding lever 35 whilst the opposite end is anchored to a fixed part 38 associated with the longitudinal frame member 2.

The four operating cams are separately adjustable angularly about the cam shaft 23 to enable themto-be individuallyset toa nicety. For this purpose the cams 2d and'25 are adjustably secured upon bosses 39 keyed, as indicated at '40 in'Figure 2, to the shaft 23. The bosses 39, 'together with the respective cams secured'thereto, are relatively "adjustable axially on the cam shaft 23 to conform with any variation in the spacing of the main bars 1 to suit different Widths of fabric.

The improved weaving mechanism includes a beat-up reed 2 5 (Figure '2') which is fitted in a holder '42 in'the form "of an arm rigidly secured upon a rock shaft 13, This rock shaft is oscillated to actuate thebeat-up reed M, in suitable timed relation to the conjoint movements of the duplicate weft laying menibers 5 and knitting needles H], from the main shaft 25 through the medium of a disc crank 44 keyed to the said shaft, a connecting rod 4-5 and a lever 15 secured to the rock shaft, all as shown in Figures 6 and 7.

In each 'of Figures2, ;3and 4, the numeral :31 indicates guides for guiding the weft threads T andT from the supplies to the weft laying members 5.

As will be readily appreciated, in a loom adapted to weave but a single piece of fabric there will be only one pair of weft laying members and associated knittingneedles. In a smallware loom, on the other there-will naturally be as many 'sets of duplicate weft laying mernbers'B 'and knitting needles "ID as there are webs or the like to be woven. This will be clear from Figiire dwherein a-few-"such sets bf members and needles, and correspending 'individual beat-up reds' d'l areshawh in diagrammatic'fashion. T0

economists in space, the said different :sets may advantageously be arranged in "fmockspacef fashion, that is to say with spaced sets disposed in a -'difierent plane .to the intervening sets, Whereby the weft laying members of each set can op *erat e freely Without fouling the members of adjacent sets. I v 1 V Qn'e and the same small-ware loom may be equipped with weaving mechanisms of different sizes or variously adjusted, 'to weave webs *or 1th at respectively differentwidths.

Referring again to the axles 3.,-the outward :in clination of each of these is to the extent of approximately 5 to the upright line V (Figure 4).

; 'By reason of this inclinationiof the males 3, "the operative extremity or tip 519 of eachweft laying member '5 will, whenever the said member .makes an operative stroke, travel in an upwardly in clined path from a position beneath the nearest latch needle 19 to a position somewhat above the remote needle to which it presents weftthread and with which itco -operates in the knitting of a selvedge. This will be :clear from a consideration of FigureB, wherein it will be .seen ithatas the weft laying member '5 at the right-hand side of the tfigure makes an operative "stroke in the direction of the arrow D, its operative extremity or tip 52) travels from a low position fat the right hand side of the shed sh in which itis'b'e- 10W theknifiting needle it} at that side tora higher position G inwhich it passes above the knitting needle if at the left-hand side=of the shed (as viewed'in the saidfigure). Similarly, asthe weft laying member at the left-hand side of Figure 8 makes an operativestroke in the'direction of the arrow its operative extremity or tip -travels fromja low position I at the left-hand sideof the shed inwhich it is below the knitting needle at that side to a higher position J in which-it .pas'ses above the knitting needle at the rightham-smear the figure. That is to :say, thepaths followed by the said operative extremities or tips are obliquely inclined oppositely with respect to the horizontal plane in which the fabric F'fis woven. w

Bearing in mind the oblique paths in which operative extremities or tips of the weft laying members travel a complete cycle of operation of the weaving mechanism will now be briefly described with reference to Figures '9'to'16. I

Priorto the commencement of the cycle, both of the weft laying memberse are in their inoperative positions and the two knitting needles lB-are iii-advanced positions as shown in Figure 9. At this stage the two portions of the last inserted pick, indicated at P, have just been beaten up to the fell of 'thefabrio' by a forward movement of the beat-up reed. The knitted selved'ges -a't the opposite edges of the woven fabric-Fare indicated at K. L indicates the last fcrmed loops "on the stems of the knitting needles, and it will be noted that both the weft threads T and T extendbeneaththeneedles. 1

Wit-h the -right=hand weft laying memb'er'still inoperative the left-hand weft laying member cornmencesa forward stroke to-draw the weft thread 'T from the relevant supply and-lay in a shed of the warps W. "Being at this time in a low position the left-hand weftlaying member constrains the thread; T :to move bene'ath and at t e back of the left-hand knitting needle, "there- "byfpreventing the thread from "being 'engag edgby and caught'in. the "hook fee of the said .needle. 1 ig re 0. e "i ii i n Weft, yi m mb r has "completed-"its rorwara stroke fihrdugrrthe knitting needle.

shed to lay therein the next nick P and the fully advanced and upwardly deflected r ght-hand knitting needle engages the first portion of the pick P presented to it. Since the operative extremity or tip of the left-hand weft lay ng member, having travelled upwards in an oblique path, is now in a high position above the right-hand knitting needle, the first portion of the pick P extends across and in front of the said needle-a little in advance of the spoon of the needle latch 1012. At the stage depicted in Figure 10, moreover, the right-hand weft laying member is still stationary in its inoperative position.

Turning now to Figure 11, with the right-hand weft laying member still inoperative, the lefthand-weft laying member has just commenced its reverse stroke through the shed, its operative extremity or tip as a consequenc travelling obliquely downwards so that the presented weft thread T is drawn into the hook Illa of the right-hand knitting needle.

At the next stage in the cycle shown in Figure 12, the left-hand weft laying member has completed its reverse stroke and returned to its original, i. e. inoperative position. Being once again in a low position the left-hand weft laying member has constrained the weft thread T to move to a position in which it is again beneath and at the back of the advanced left-hand knitting needle. The right-hand weft laying member is still quiescent, but the right-hand knitting needle has been fully retracted as a consequence of which a new selvedge loop L has been drawn through the old loop L and the latter has been cast off the needle by the knocking-over edge 13 of the righthand side plate [2. In being cast off the needle, the loop L, which was previously behind the open latch lUb of the right-hand needle, closes this latch. It is in this way that successive picks of the thread T inserted by the left-hand weft laying member are interknitted to form the knitted selvedge K at the right-hand edge of the fabric F.

The right-hand knitting needle is next advanced so that the new loop L opens the previously closed latch [01), and, with both weft laying members inoperative, the beat-up reed again moves forward to beat-up the pick P to the previously inserted pick P at the fell of the fabric F. In Figure 13, the right-hand needle is in the course of being advanced and the beat-up has commenced, whilst at the stage depicted in Figure 14, such advance and the said beat-up are complete.

Subsequently, the shed is changed, and the previously inoperative (right-hand) weft laying member commences to make a forward Stroke to draw the weft thread T from the appropriate supply and lay it in the fresh shed.

In Figure 15 the right-hand weft laying member has completed its forward stroke to insert a pick P of the weft thread T During such stroke, the operative extremity or tip of the righthand weft laying member moves upwardly in an oblique path suchwise as to constrain the thread T to move from a low position below and at the back of the right-hand knittin needle to a higher position above, and in front of, the left-hand Thereafter the right-hand weft .laying member moves in the reverse direction, so drawing the thread T into the upwardly deflected hook Illa of theadvanced left-hand knitting needle (see Figure 16) which needle is then retracted to draw a new loop L of the said thread through the loop L at that side. The said loop L is-cast off the left-hand knitting ne dle by t knocking-over edge I3 of the left-hand side plate 12, the left-hand knitting needle is again advanced and the pick P is beaten up to the fell of the fabric, thus completing the cycle which is regularly repeated, The brushes [6 ensure that the needle latches [0b are open at all material times.

What I claim then is:

1. In a shuttleless loom of the class concerned, weaving mechanism comprising, in combination, duplicate weft laying members adapted to operate alternately from opposite sides of a series of warps to carry separate weft threads from independent supplies to and fro through sheds of the said warps, and associated duplicate thread engaging elements of hooked form adapted to operate in conjunction with the said weft laying members to hold the weft threads and ensure that they remain laid in the sheds, the said elements being so arranged and operated as to engage the threads presented to them in appropriate timed relation to the operation of the weft laying members to form selvedges at respectively opposite edges of a piece of woven fabric, and each of the weft laying members'being so mounted for movement that, during each forward stroke of the said member, the operative extremity thereof follows a path which is oblique with respect to the plane of the fabric being woven whereby whilst the member is prevented from presenting the appropriate weft thread to the thread engaging element located on the same side of the warps as the said member the latter will be in a position at the termination of such stroke for the said thread to be presented to, engaged by and subsequently drawn into the hook of, the thread engaging element at the opposite side of the warps.

In a shuttleless loom of the class concerned, weaving mechanism comprising, in combination, duplicate weft laying members adapted to operate alternately from opposite sides of a series of warps to carry separate weft threads from independent supplies to and fro through sheds of the said warps, and associated duplicate thread engaging elements of hooked form adapted to operate in conjunction with the said weft laying members to hold the weft threads and ensure that they remain laid in the sheds, the said elements being so arranged and operated as to engage the threads presented to them in appropriate timed relation to the operation of the weft laying members to form selvedges at respec tively opposite edges of a piece of Woven fabric, and the weft laying members being so mounted that the operative extremities thereof travel in paths oppositely inclined with respect to a horizontal plane in which the fabric is woven whereby during each forward stroke of each weft laying member the operative extremity thereof moves from a low plane at one side of the shed in which it is below the thread engaging element at that side to a higher plane in which it passes above the thread engaging element at the opposite side of the shed, and vice versa.

3. In a shuttleless loom of the class concerned, Weaving mechanism comprising, in combination, duplicate weft laying members adapted to operate alternately from opposite sides of a series of warps to carry separate weft threads from independent supplies to and fro through sheds of the said warps, and associated duplicate thread engaging elements of hooked form adapted to operate in conjunction with the said weft laying members to hold the weft threads and ensure that they remain laid in the sheds, the said elements being so arranged and operated as to engage the threads presented to them in appropriate timed relation to the operation of the weft laying members to form selvedges at respectively opposite edges of a piece of woven fabric, and the weft laying members consisting of pivoted arms mounted for oscillation about axes which are oppositely inclined with respect to planes normal to the plane in which the fabric is woven so that, during each forward stroke of each weft laying member, the operative extremity of the said member follows a path which is oblique with respect to the aforesaid plane in which the fabric is woven whereby whilst the member is prevented from presenting the appropriate weft thread to the thread engaging element located on the same side of the warps as the said member the latter will be in a position at the termination of such stroke for the said thread to be presented to, engaged by and subsequently drawn into the hook of, the thread engaging element at the opposite side of the warps.

4. In a shuttleless loom of the class concerned, weaving mechanism comprising, in combination, duplicate weft laying members adapted to operate alternately from opposite sides of a series of warps to carry separate weft threads from independent supplies to and fro through sheds of the said warps, and associated duplicate thread engaging elements of hooked form adapted to operate in conjunction with the said weft laying members to hold the weft threads and ensure that they remain laid in the sheds, the said elements being so arranged and operated as to engage the threads presented to them in appropriate timed relation to the operation of the weft laying members to form selvedges at respectively opposite edges of a piece of woven fabric, and the weft laying members consisting of pivoted arms mounted for oscillation about axes which are oppositely inclined outwardly from the upright so that the operative extremities of the said members travel in paths oppositely inclined with respect to a horizontal plane in which the fabric is woven whereby during each forward stroke of each weft laying member the operative extremity thereof moves from a low plane at one side of the shed in which it is below the thread engaging element at that side to a higher plane in which it passes above the thread engaging element at the opposite side of the shed, and vice versa.

5. In a shuttleless loom, in combination, duplicate weft laying members adapted to operate alternately from opposite sides of a series of warps to carry separate weft threads from independent supplies to and fro through sheds of the said warps, associated duplicate thread engaging elements of hooked form adapted to operate in conjunction with the said weft laying members to hold the weft threads and ensure that they remain laid in the sheds, the said elements being so arranged and operated as to engage the threads presented to them in appropriate timed relation to the operation of the weft laying members to form selvedges at respectively opposite edges of a piece of woven fabric, means for constraining each of the weft threads, when it is drawn from the relevant supply and laid in a shed of warps 10 on each forward stroke of the appropriate weft laying member, to move from a position at one side of the shed in which it avoids the thread engaging element at that side to a position in which it is engaged by the thread engaging element at the opposite side of the shed, separate cams for independently operating the weft laying members and the associated thread engaging elements, a common rotary cam shaft upon which the said cams are mounted, a main driven shaft,-

means for transmitting the drive from the said main shaft to the cam shaft, a reed for beating up inserted picks of the weft threads, a rock shaft upon which the said beat-up reed is mounted, and means for driving the rock shaft from the main shaft.

6. In a shuttleless loom, in combination, duplicate weft laying members adapted to operate alternately from opposite sides of a series of warps to carry separate weft threads from independent supplies to and fro through sheds of the said warps, associated duplicate knitting needles adapted to operate in conjunction with the said weft laying members to hold the weft threads and ensure that they remain laid in the sheds, the said knitting needles being so arranged and operated as to engage the threads presented to them in appropriate timed relation to the operation of the weft laying members to knit selvedges at respectively opposite edges of a piece of woven fabric, and the weft laying members consisting of pivoted arms mounted for oscillation about axes which are oppositely inclined with respect to planes normal to the plane in which the fabric is woven so that, during each forward stroke of each weft laying member, the operative extremity of the said member follows a path which is oblique with respect to the aforesaid plane in which the fabric is woven whereby whilst the member is prevented from presenting the appropriate weft thread to the thread engaging element located on the same side of the warps as the said member the latter will be in a position at the termination of such stroke for the said thread to be presented to, engaged by and subsequently drawn into the hook of, the thread engaging element at the opposite side of the warps, separate cams for independently operating the weft laying members and the knitting needles, a common rotary cam shaft upon which the said cams are mounted, the said shaft extending parallel to the aforesaid plane in which the fabric is woven, a driveable main shaft, and means for transmitting the drive from the main shaft to the cam shaft.

CHARLES CLUTSOM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,180,831 Libby NOV. 21, 1939' 2,280,478 Clutsom Apr. 21, 1942 2,469,202 Murdock et a1 May 3, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 126,519 Great Britain May 15, 1919 

